Heywood Academy Blog - 24.10.25
As we wrap up this half term, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude. We ended the term on a high note with our Head’s Awards, celebrating the phenomenal individual achievements of our students. Each award was a testament to the resilience, creativity, and growth we’ve witnessed across our school.
This half term has been one of progress, discovery, and connection. Our students have shown remarkable determination and enthusiasm in their learning, and it has been a joy to see them thrive. Whether through academic success, personal development, or acts of kindness, they continue to inspire us every day.
I also want to take a moment to recognise our dedicated and amazing staff team. Their unwavering commitment and passion for meeting the needs of our students, often going above and beyond, is the heartbeat of our school. Their efforts create the nurturing and inclusive environment that allows every child to flourish.
As we head into the half term break, I wish everyone a happy, restful, and well-deserved holiday. Take time to recharge, reflect, and enjoy time with loved ones. We look forward to welcoming everyone back, refreshed and ready for the exciting half term ahead.
⭐️ Year 8 Weekly Blog
🏁 End of Half Term Message for Year 8
As we come to the end of our first half term, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Year 8 students. You have settled in brilliantly, formed new friendships, and built trusting relationships with both teaching assistants and teachers. Your positivity, resilience, and enthusiasm have made this half term a joy, we’re proud of each and every one of you!
🌳 Outdoor Education
This week, Year 8 visited Springfield Park in Rochdale to explore the natural environment and leisure amenities. Learners took photographs of indigenous trees, local plant life, and the recreational facilities available. This activity supports our journey towards achieving the Silver Medal in the Woodland Trust Green Tree Award, following our recent success in earning the Bronze Award. The visit helped deepen our understanding of local biodiversity and the importance of green spaces in our community.
🦇 English
Year 8 have completed their gothic stories, and we are incredibly proud of their creativity! We have some very gifted writers in our midst. All students used their imagination and fully immersed themselves in the eerie and atmospheric world of the gothic genre.
➕➖ Maths
We’ve started learning about positive and negative numbers in preparation for our next topic: algebra. Students are building strong foundations for more complex mathematical thinking.
🎶 Music
This week, Year 8 began learning how to sing a cappella. Their voices harmonising together sounded absolutely beautiful, a proud moment for all!
🏳️🌈 RSE (Relationships & Sex Education)
Year 8 have been engaging in thoughtful discussions around gender and sexuality. They’ve shown a real sense of maturity and respect when exploring this sensitive and important topic.
🇬🇧 History
We’ve been studying Medieval London, identifying the differences between life then and now. Students asked insightful questions like: “How would people from medieval times feel if they had to live in 21st Century London?”
🕷️ Target Group Activity
On Tuesday, we visited Morrisons in Heywood. Students asked staff specific questions about ingredients needed to make chocolate spiders, then located the items themselves. This activity helped build confidence, communication skills, and independence in everyday settings.
🎨 Art
Students continued developing their monochrome skills by designing their title pages in the style of Jim Dine. Their work is expressive and full of character!
🪨 Science
Year 8 have been learning how to identify metals in the periodic table, expanding their understanding of the properties and uses of different elements.
🏃🏼♀️ PE
Students completed a full-body circuit, pushing both their physical and mental boundaries. Their determination and teamwork were fantastic to see!
Ms Zobenica’s weekly update
This week in PE, every class has studied the topic Health and Fitness. We have looked at the differences in being healthy and fit, and the athletes in which these can differ for. Each student has pushed themself to achieve the best scores in a fitness circuit, which we intend on repeating after half term. Let's hope we can beat our scores!
In Outdoor Education the year 7s had a wonderful time at Hopwood park. They showed great confidence in their abilities to communicate with the public, when ordering an item from the cafe. The students were great role models and used lovely manners. They all had great fun whilst using the play equipment amongst their friends.
Years 8 and 9 visited Springfield park where we went on a nature hunt. The children were able to capture some amazing photographs of wildlife and plants, whilst out on our lesson. We are going to use these images back in school for cross-curricular links including descriptive writing and art. We are also planning to start our woodland display board, which is a project within the Woodland Trust Green Schools Award as we now work towards our Silver award.
Ms. Nicholson’s weekly update
It’s been another busy week across the Creative Arts faculty!
In Art, our Year 7 students have been creating vibrant artist research pages all about Jason Vincent Scarpace. They’ve explored his colourful fish artworks, focusing on how he uses pattern, repetition, and expressive mark-making to bring sea life to life on the page.
In Design Technology, Year 8 students have been developing their understanding of market research by designing their own questionnaires using the computers. These surveys will help them gather opinions before designing their own packaging and products later in the term.
Over in Music, Year 9 students have been getting creative with rhythm and coordination, combining body percussion with keyboard playing to perform “We Will Rock You.” The results have been energetic and full of teamwork!
In IT, Year 7 have been investigating PEGI age restrictions on online games. They’ve discussed why these ratings exist and how they help to keep players safe online — a great link to digital citizenship and responsible gaming.
Finally, in Food Technology, Year 9 students have been exploring vitamins and minerals — learning what our bodies need and where to find them — as they prepare for their upcoming Fruit Salad Practical.
Ms. Crossley’s weekly update
English This Week
It’s been a focused week in English as all year groups have been completing their end-of-unit assessments. Students have worked really hard to put into practice their learning from this half term.
Alongside assessments, students have also been given the opportunity to take part in the Young Writers’ Competition, where they can submit a 200-word ghost story. It’s a fantastic chance to showcase creativity and atmosphere in a short, punchy format. I can’t wait to see the spooky stories that emerge!
✍️ Quote of the Week
“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”
— H. P. Lovecraft
A perfect reminder as students turn their imagination towards the eerie and unexplained in their ghost story writing!
Have a lovely, well earned, half term break.
Mrs McManus
